Journal / Menopause

The bio-chemical stages of menopause.

DATE
12 Jul, 2021

One of the most unhelpful aspects of the way menopause is depicted is that the focus, too often, is on a singular date; the 12 month anniversary of your last period. Yet, this transitory phase is very much a journey.

DATE
12 Jul, 2021

The lead up, perimenopause, is distinct from what happens once we pass our menopause. And following a period of time when our bodies settle, post-menopause is, in effect, the rest of our lives.

For individuals currently in perimenopause, at the outset, the most challenging aspects our community highlights are around mindset and our outward appearance. Increased anxiety. A loss of a sense of self. Mood swings. Bloating. Changes to our skin and our hair. Too often the signals that our bodies are changing go unnoticed. We get misdiagnosed. We, and our doctors, may not join the dots because the symptoms are so vast.

However, when we’re armed with knowledge and support, this early perimenopause chapter can be a time of positive exploration. Those of us in perimenopause now are discovering new tools and implementing new habits. We’ve benefited from a greater awareness of our menstrual cycle. There has been a huge growth in resources and support offerings. We understand that how we respond to external stressors can have a huge impact on the severity of our symptoms. We’re learning about hormones. We’re learning to listen to our bodies. Learning to breathe. Learning to nourish ourselves with the right food, and the right supplements.

As we get closer to our menopause date, some of the more stereotypical symptoms of menopause may appear. Hot flashes. Sleeplessness. Weight gain. Bone ache. Heavy legs. We may also see the reduction in hormones impact on pelvic disorders.

Learning to rest. Unpacking the baggage we’ve carried this far. Exploring what we hope for, what makes us happy..and also accepting and loving ourselves becomes key. We may need to look at managing symptoms as well as mitigating them. We need to ensure we have a good doctor we can talk honestly with. Who will help us decide on the support we need - and look at the whole body and mind picture. And, increasingly, they’re there. And if they’re not, we know we have the right to a second opinion. To ask for more.

Post menopause, the journey can feel particularly tough. From the conversations we have with women, it is those of us who are post menopausal right now who have hit rock bottom. We struggled through perimenopause before the topic was brought from the shadows. We were presented with little information and support. Our doctors weren’t equipped to guide us on our options well. And we’ve probably cycled through every supplement on the shelf of our health store aisle. We’re only just benefiting from the explosion of attention and offerings in the menopause space.

But we're tired. We may have forgotten what feeling well feels like. And we’re used to surviving. Yet, we know from our trials with the amazing Meno-Boost Makers in our community, that transformation is possible. We are incredibly resilient. That doesn’t mean we should endure. But what it does mean, is that a small injection of energy, a small shift in how you feel day to day can make the world of difference. It can get you to the doctor to demand a second opinion. It can get you into a meeting with your line manager to discuss working practices to support your lifestage. It can help you find yourself again. There is no silver bullet for this phase. But we have a choice as to how we want to travel forward.

And what you want the next part of the adventure to hold. We're here for all of it. If you're looking to understand more about post-menopause symptoms, what our community tells us works, what the science says or our product range, just drop us a line. Details are below.


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